Make Her Whine

Already the Democratic pundits are worrying about whether to attack Sarah Palin -- will it look like bullying? Will it make voters sympathize with her? Will it make voters identify with her and vote for her? Women are supposed to lay off her because -- she is a woman! The thinking goes that we can't question her choices because women's choices are sacrosanct. Nor can we investigate her life (beauty queen, Christian Dominionist, links to Ted Stevens, childbearing history) because those are private issues. But what Sarah Palin shows is that once again, the right wing is adept at turning the women's movement upside down and offering us a woman who reinforces patriarchal power rather than challenges it. Palin is another Margaret Thatcher or Ann Coulter, a woman who attaches herself to men in power and then does them one better. She uses the freedom that the women's movement has brought her quash the liberation of women with other views than hers. The bitch is in there, as it is with Coulter and Thatcher and Katherine Harris. The Democrats have to bring that bitch out and she has given us the right to do it.

Did she really accuse Hillary Clinton of "whining?" Then she's already told us that she won't mind any challenge -- that she can rise to any question. I want to see her do it. The personal is political, after all. Here are some issues she has to explain: What is her religion and who is her pastor? Is she a Christian Dominionist and how does she feel about the separation of church and state? How does she square her roles as mother and politican? Who is taking care of the kids while she is away, including the baby? If it's the husband, I'm glad. If it's a nanny and always has been, then I want to know how a wealthy woman with a nanny helps women in general -- wealthy women with nannies are nothing new. If she's into "family values," I want to know what they are, and how the nanny views Palin's "family values." If she produced a child at 44, I want to know if she believes in birth control, because birth control is a political issue. I also want to know her views on the government's obligations to the disabled. Do the disabled children of rich people get special treatments that their parents can afford, while the disabled children of poor people get nothing? Who is the boss in her family? If it's her, then I want to know how that squares with Christian notions of patriarchy. If it's the husband, then I want to know his values and beliefs about all the issues that face the nation, and I want to know who will actually be the vice president. I want to see her tax returns. I want to see his tax returns.

About the breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is a political issue because the baby formula companies have promoted baby formula all over the world, much to the detriment of babies. If she's a family values right winger, I would expect her to back those values up by breastfeeding for six months to a year, at least. If she's not breastfeeding, frankly, and she doesn't believe in birth control, then she's a hypocrite. She has to run as a right wing family values soccer mom or she has to run as a woman who has gained freedoms through the efforts of other women. She can't do both.

Is she really a gun-toting moose-killer, or is this a pose? What are her ties to the oil and gas industries -- and I don't mean her beliefs. I want to know who paid her and when and how much. She says she doesn't know what the vice president does, so I want to know what she thinks about Dick Cheney and the unitary executive. I want to know if she understands the Constitution and what the limits of the executive branch are. I want to know if she's ever been abroad, if she has ever written anything about the Iraq war, or if she's just a follower with a pretty smile, who goes along with the big boys in order to get a little something for herself. I want to know how she treats her children, what kind of mom she is, because I want to know about her personal morality. This is a valid issue, because in the last eight years we discovered with George Bush that once a bully, always a bully. I want those kids from her high school to come forward and tell me what she was like back then.

We had years to relate to HIllary Clinton. We saw her through good times and bad. We saw her do things we didn't agree with, and we saw her do things we did agree with. She was an open book in many ways. Sarah Palin accused her of "whining." I didn't agree with Clinton, and I didn't support her, but I never accused her of whining. That "whining" remark is the hallmark of a bitchy and and arrogant point of view -- a characteristic of all conservative women politicians. So, Sarah thinks she can take it. I say we give it to her good.

Read more reaction from HuffPost bloggers to John McCain's selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate

Comments

[foolchild0]

Whew!

When's Smiley running for president?

[thenextquagmire]

I want to know, when did she get her passport? Was she curious to see the world and at what age? Has she been to Russia? What answer did she give during the congeniality talent portion of the Miss. Alaska pageant in 1984 ?

[Mirri]

I agree with you. Let's finally also get a peek into Obama's passport.

[mh01]

10 to one 1 she said some blather about world peace, which should make her a liberal's wet dream.

[politicky]

Well this didn't take long, now did it?

Sarah Palin
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Palin

[pftp]

Why don't you ask why Larry Sinclair was arrested at the NPC by an attorney general in Delaware. Held for several days without his medicine, transported accross state lines and then the charges were dropped after the convention? I'd rather live with Sarah Palin than in the South American style police state that we are facing if Obama and Biden are elected.

If you don't know what I am talking about google Larry Sinclair. I was skeptical about his story until the charges in Delaware were dropped. Now I am making it my mission until the election is over to tell his story.

[mesut]

great post!! I can't help but wonder why we as women are suppose to vote for her because she is a woman. She should be held to a standard because she is a political figure included in being selected for the highest office in our country. She doesn't get a pass because she has five children nor because one has Downs Syndrome. Respectfully, then I'd like to know her family values. I am a mother with a little girl born prematurely having spent 67 days in the NICU. I went just about every day to see my daughter. So, yes I'd like to hear Sarah Palin's views of being a mother and how her son's birth affected her and how that affects her view for women who may face the same situation. There is so much unknown.
I constantly heard "we don't know Barack Obama enough" and on a daily he had to tell his life story again and again because people painted him differently.
This VP choice comes from out of nowhere and because she's a woman we simply accept it. I agree I want to know her views. They don't have to line up next to mine but I would like to see who she "really" is. She won't be painted in the media as different because let's face it--the media will not do their part in introducing us to this unknown Sarah Palin.

[Promise]

This is an excellent post. I had already submitted a comment with the same sentiment on another column here but I will repeat it. It seems to me that this woman is trying to appeal to women on both ends of the political spectrum---to the right wing Christian fundamentalists, she is the bountiful mother who home-schools her big family and to the feminists, she is the tough talking ballsy woman who dares to challenge the status quo and who doesn't hesitate to hold a high political office. I know that, in the 70's there was a famous tv commercial that said that a woman can do it all, but I don't think it's really possible. It seems to me that this is a superficial woman who tclimbs easily on whatever bandwagon comes to town. Has she thought these issues through?

Yes, I want these questions posed to her, too. I hope that Joe Biden will not be too gentlemanly to pull his punches in any debate with her.

In addition to her stance, or lack of it on womens' issues, I'd like to hear her rationale for her environmental policies. She poses as an outdoors sportsperson who clearly enjoys the wilderness but she is proud of her hunting prowess--killing the very wildlife that keep our environment natural. That picture of her with the bearskin in her office is obscene.

I think any woman who considers voting for her because of her gender is making a huge mistake.

[SarahPinTennessee]

An excerpt from a Palin campaign stop speech, "Now THAT'S the kind of man I want to see as President."

Speaking of some women in the GOP - Marsha Blackburn had the audacity to sit on TV and say that we need to be careful in how we evaluate women and the ways in which we develop leadership skills. We, apparently, develop our leadership skills in all sorts of ways by PTAing, mothering, etc. etc. Just amazing what us women can do.

The women who will be attracted to Palin solely because of her gender & personality will be the same women that decide it's ridiculous for a woman with young children, and especially, a 4-month-old baby, to be running for Vice President of the United States.

I so hope that Hillary Clinton sets her campaign schedule to follow Palin around for the next 8 weeks and say, "Really? Are you really buying this?"

[nitram0244]

the only reason palin is on the ticket is because she is a woman. period. she adds no tangible value in getting our country out of the shithole we find ourselves in. had any man with credentials like hers been put forward the entire right wing establishment would have flipped out

[whatsthatsound]

Yep, but instead they'll jump in and back her (at least some of them will) because she might pull in a lot of Hillary voters. "I'm your last chance to get a woman in high office this time around, folks!" is the ONLY reason for this selection. Hopefully, Bill and Hill will jump on this, thoroughly demolishing her "credibility" in this regard. Even if they don't, the majority of women will see right through this baloney. This move will gain more women voters for Obama than it will cost him.
And I'm guessing that a lot of the women who decide to vote for McCain because of this selection are reluctant to vote for a black man, and this provides them with cover. It's Rove-ian, plain and simple.

[laire]

she's on the ticket because she's a women who is the princess of the religious right and former Pat Buchanan follower in 2000 when he ran for president. McCain wanted to let the religious right and far right conservatives know they can trust him and she is the new generation of the far right.

[Just Joe]

And we all know that John is fond of beautiful younger women!
:-)

[Kynn]

There is another reason.

She's an ultra extreme right-wing take over the government and enforce our idea of a christian nation Republican.

[Freesia2]

Yes. But not just because she's a "woman".

Because she's a pretty young conservative woman. McCain is trying to appeal simultaneously to the Democratic women who might vote for the woman part regardless of her right wing part, the Republican women who are glad she's not got the left wing part, and the convervative men who might just vote for what they see only - unkindly - as a nice piece of (fill in the blank, rhymes with grass). And maybe he can get a few Democratic men to do the same.

McCain has reduced a woman into a flea market sale of options for sale to anyone who will buy. And if people aren't smart, he might just get away with it.

[BARRISTER]

Jane, PLEASE continue to point out Palin's pallid background, PLEASE!!!

[Planoian4Obama]

Why can't the women understand that they are being used!!!!!! I would be so offended.....

http://www.salon.com/news/1998/06/25newsb.html

[Rex11]

Jane... You are spot on. Brilliant! I only hope the Dems take your advice. Please keep this message alive!
Let give it to her GOOD!!!

Obama-Biden 08'

[maryyooch]

Cound'nt have written it better myself.
If she is going to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency, she absolitly NEEDS to be taken on! Why is everybody so afraid of putting her on the spot? Because she has a vagina? Give me a break. I've had tougher job interviews that have nearly zero responsibilty and the interviewer has been pretty tough.
Oh yeah, I have a vagina.

[MagnaCarta]

Jane, you are so-o-o on target. Thanks for thinking this through. That sure looked like one sick little baby being hauled up on stage to be used as a prop during the announcement.

[lemonyashes]

I think any woman in the media and the press can get a 'hail Mary' pass grilling Palin without being seen as sexist.

[girlwild]

She's a Dominionist. Dominionists want to overthrow the US Constitution and create a new "constitution" that is based upon christian laws. In other words, they want to create a theocracy.

How can this woman take the oath of office swearing to uphold the US Constitution when her "religion" wants to overthrow it? She should be continually questioned on the meaning of Article 6 of the US Constitution which states in part: "The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States."

All elected officials should take their oath or affirmation on the US Constitution so that they know what they are swearing to uphold. It's not a piece of paper to be destroyed by religious sects who want to turn the US of A into a christian version of a theocracy, like the islamic states.

This is the most important issue!

[gage]

Please cite your evidence for this.

[seanseamour]

Thank you for opening my eyes, I encourage all to visit Wikipedia and discover the rising Christian Nationalism and then reflect on the past eight years of arrogant unilateralism, more recent distortions in the name of national electoral politics http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominionist. I am increasingly worried for the security of our other candidate, after attempting to portray him as a Muslim, I understand 12% of our compatriots believe this, will the next subtle battle cry be slay the infidel.

[dBlogger]

You just nailed it on the head, girlwild. McCain was strong-armed into making Palin his veep by Rove and his ilk who believe that the Evangelical wing of the Repug party will swing this election for McCain.

What they don't get, is that the "Christian" right wing extremists are losing strength in this country.... and if the Dems are smart, they will hammer-home Palin's extremist Dominionist ideas of rewriting the US Constitution on a "Christian" framework.

I also really hope that Hillary honors her promise to do "everything in (her) power" to elect Obama. There is no stronger voice to emphasize Palin's utter lack of "readiness" than Hillary.

[ejay579]

They do it with so called "mental reservations". I have heard included in oaths "without mental reservations". In effect, the oaths do not mean anything to these wingnuts because they believe they are serving a greater good. To them up is down, war is peace, lie is truth.

[RRonin]

Here's a thought. What if Sarah Palin is just a stalking horse, a decoy? With her family she can always have an excuse to drop out. She would be a bone thrown to the turkey necked fundamentalists until after the conventiion. Then, doggone it, poor Sarah has to drop out because her family is in crisis. Gee, too bad. Guess Jeb Bush will have to step into the breach.....

[Amalek]

Sort of a Harriet Myers selection. A way to get the candidate you want.

[zanzig]

Yes that is my suspicion, too

[Kassandra]

aaayyyieeeeeee!

[lemonyashes]

yea they have some trick up their sleeves, Jeb Bush another Bush in the whitehouse! Yea that'll go over well. However if it is a trick then I think repugs lose.

[lotuslike]

Brilliant analysis and call to arms, Jane! Yes INDEED...grill her on her positions under a white, hot light. She's about as good 'ole boy as they come...

[lemonyashes]

If this is a trick will they keep it going to the debate? Can Palin be dropped after the debate? Hmm, so many questions, so little time. But that means too little time to properly prepare her. Do they check for earpieces at these debates.

[wearyvoter]

Dear Republican Party:

Women aren't widgets.

Sarah does not = Hillary.

[friendofhubbell]

If anybody bothers to watch the Newsweek clip you'll know the "whine" line is very far from an attack. It's a criticism and very slightone at that. If only her fellow Democrats had treated her with anywhere near the amount of respect Sarah Palin has Hillary Clinton would certainly now be the Democrat nominee now.